Boston College fetes Dick Kelley’s service

Author(s):

Steve Conroy

John H. Connolly

The Boston College Varsity Club recognized Dick Kelley’s distinguished career of service by naming him the inaugural recipient of the Varsity Club Medal.

Kelley, BC’s assistant athletic director for media relations, is a 1987 graduate of Boston College and has been a member of the BC athletics staff since 1991. He is best known as the media contact for the Eagles’ men’s basketball team. Kelley was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2011.

Richard Ramirez, the Varsity Club president, explained that the medal is awarded to individuals who served with Boston College with excellence, fostered its athletic traditions, and promoted sportsmanship.

“The way he worked with people was just tremendous, particularly with those who weren’t from the polished backgrounds that some of the others had,” said former associate AD Reid Oslin.

“Dick takes a genuine interest in all of the kids. It could be a tennis player, a golfer, or someone on one of the Olympic sports as well as the first string basketball or football players. He’d get them talking about their academics, what they’re studying in school, and what they’re planning to do down the line.”

Molnar will grant true freshman A.J. Doyle of Lakeville the starting nod at quarterback. The Catholic Memorial alum has appeared in seven games thus far, all in mop up duty. Doyle is 26-of-53 passing for 166 yards with five interceptions and one touchdown. Redshirt freshman Mike Wegzyn started the previous 11 games.

The switch does not come as a surprise.

“This was part of a plan that we began thinking about back during the bye week. We didn’t want to go through the season without giving Doyle a start,” Molnar said. “We wanted to do it somewhere in the last three games unless we were on a roll. My plan was that if we beat Akron, which we did, Mike would start the next game because I didn’t want to halt any momentum. Fortunately, we went out and defeated Akron. Now, if we beat Buffalo we probably would have started Mike (against Central Michigan).”

Molnar said Wegzyn had the inside lane because he was here for spring ball and got the jump on the new terminology and experience. Molnar said Doyle was learning on the fly until the bye week but has since closed the gap. Molnar said the start offers him greater insight as to how both players handle starting assignments. It’s being done with a look to future seasons.

“That’s exactly it,” said Molnar. “I’ve told both quarterbacks ever since summer camp that the two will be competing against each other for the next four years, as well as anybody else that comes into the program. We’re anxious to see how he (Doyle) handles adversity. When he’s been getting the opportunity (in the past) it’s been with the outcome already decided. Now, he gets the opportunity with the balance of the game still up in the air.”